Brackets



Jan. 22, 1963 D. R. C RISP BRACKETS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 24, 1961 @www 'r--hf /NVE/VTOR UaugZasRaymaz-Ld E'rzsj:

A TTORME)l Jan. 22, 1963 D. R. CRISP BRACKETS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 24, 1961 /IVVEIVTOR .y

TTORNE Y Jan. 22, 1963 D. R. cRlsP 3,074,679

BRACKETS Filed April 24, 1961 l 4 sheets-sheet s /N l/E N TOR .Umzgas Ray-mma Emi/n A TTo/a/VE y Jan. 22, 1963 D. R. CRISP 3,074,679

BRACKETS Filed April 24, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 .Unugas .Raymond Dmsj:

A TTORNE Y 3,074,679 BRAQKEES Douglas Raymond Crisp, London, England, assigner to Frederick Sage d; Company Limited, London, Engiand, a British company Fied Apr. Zd, wel, Ser. No. @4,862 Claims. (CCH. 24d-923) This invention relates to brackets of the kind comprising a bracket arm and a sup-port member therefor from which the bracket arm is adapted to extend forwardly.

ln a bracket of the kind set forth, according to the pres-ent invention, means for mounting the bracket arm on the support member are disposed, when the arm is mounted on the support member, forwardly of a rear upright surface of the bracket arm and comprise at least one laterally extending pin and a bayonet slot in which the pin is engageable, the pin being provided on the bracket arm and comprise at least one laterally extending pin and a bayonet slot in which the pin is engageable, the pin being provided on the `bracket arm and the slot being formed on the support member or vice versa, and the slot being so shaped and the pin being so disposed that, as the bracket arm is engaged on the support member, the part of the arm rearwardly of the pin and socket mounting is wedged between that mounting and the support member.

in one form of the invention, shelf support means are provided on the bracket arm which, when the bracket arm is mounted on its support member are capable of supporting a shelf member on the bracket arm in different positions respectively extending perpendicular to and inclined with respect to the support member.

In the accompanying drawings:

FEGURE l is a top plan of a bracket arm engaged on its support member;

FEGURE 2 is a sectional elevation taken on the line ii-li of FGURE, l;

FGURE 3 is a top plan of the bracket arm of FIG- URES l and 2,

FIGURE 4 is atop plan of another example of bracket;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective View of a modihed form of bracket arm;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of a shelf member for mounting on the arrn of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a top plan view of the shelf member of FlGUlE 6 mounted on the bracket arm of FiGURE 5; and

FGURE. 8 is a side elevation of the bracket arm and shelf member mounted thereon, the broken lines illustrating some of the different positions which can be 0ccupied by the shelf member.

in the example of bracket shown in FGURES l to 3 the bracket arm of the bracket comprises a central plate i which extends longitudinally of the bracket arm and is of at sheet metal or other suitable material and is provided at its rear with two cheek plates 2, sandwiching the central plate i and extending a short distance behind the plate l at 3. The cheek plates are welded, riveted or otherwise secured to the plate l.

Two pins d are passed through the cheek plates and secured thereto. The pins are vertically spaced apart.

A support member' 5, in the form of a dat bar at right @site angles to the wall against which the bracket arm is .to be 2 secured, is provided with a plurality of equally spaced bayonet slots d down its foward face. Two of the bayonet slots are engaged by the pins 4 passing through the cheek plates so that the cheek plates sandwich a portion of the faces of the dat bar as the pins enter the bayonet slots.

Each bayonet slot 6 has its entry at right angles to the `forward side of .the support member when viewed in side elevation, and is then downturned through nearly a right angle, the slot having however, a slight downward and rearward inclination of from 3 to 9. Thus as the pins enter the bayonet slots, the arm will first travel substantially horizontally (assuming that the support member is vertical) and will then move downwardly and slightly rearwardly. Since the sockets have a rearward and downward inclination, the pins and sockets exert an action of `wedging the part of the arm rearwardly of the pins hard against a bar to which the support member is secured, ensuring a rigid bracket. A positive wedging action is ensured by making the distance between the pin' and the rear of the cheek plates slightly less than the corresponding distance between the slot and the forwardly facing surface of the bar 8. The cheek plates on either side of the faces of the support member prevent undesirable lateral movement of the arm.

The inward end 7 of each bayonet slot, that is, the `bottoni of the slot in side elevation, is preferably rounded, the radius of the curve being the same as the radius of the pins, each pin tending lto approach this end as the arm is rrnly wedged into posit-ion.

The support member may be secured to a wall or the like by any suitable means, for example, the bifurcated bar, generally designated S, having a flanged head 9 for securing to a wall, legs l? of the bar passing forwardly in spaced relationship to the support member 5 which is riveted at lil, or otherwise secured within a shallow slot cut in `the head of the bar. The legs of the bifurcated bar are bent outwardly at their ends l2 and may have secured thereto decorative panels i3 or the like so that the supporting member and bifurcated bar are concealed and only a slot between adjacent panels is discernible, through which slot the arm is passed for securement purposes.

In' its simplest form only one pin need be supplied to support the arm, but for the sake of strength two pins are preferable.

In another example of bracket shown in FGURE 4 the arm l is provided with two vertically spaced pins 1d, each projecting from both faces of the arm and disposed towards the rea-r of the arm, the cheek plates being eliminated.

The supporting member i5 is stirrup shaped in crosssection, each leg of the stirrup being provided with corresponding spaced bayonet sockets as hereinbefore descr-ibed. The Width between the legs is sulicient to allow of passage of the rear of the arm between the legs, but the legs are sufiiiciently close to prevent undesirable vlateral movement of the arm.

As in the previous example, the pins entering the bayonet slots cause a wedge action between the end of the arm and the flat bottom of the stirrup ensuring a rigid bracket.

The supporting member has a rib 16 extending into a slot in securing means l? and is secured thereto, as by rivets i8. The securing means acts to secure the support member `1S to a wall, and is provided with out-turned flanges 19 to which may be secured facing panels 2l).

yIn place of the bayonet slots being cut in' the support member of either of the above examples, the bayonet `slots may be cut in the cheek plates or rear of the arm, and a plurality of pins can be provided on the support member, be it the iat bar or flat bottomed stirrup shaped support member.

If pins are provided on the support member their spacing must be such, in relation to the depth of the arm, that .the arm can be supported on any selected pin' or pins without fouling another unused pin.

The bayonet slots in the arm or cheek plates would turn upwardly, not downwardly as in the support member and would extend upwardly and slightly forwardly.

To prevent accidental removal of the arm in any of the foregoing examples a simple locking device may be incorporated as shown in FGURES l and 2. The locking device consists of a short length of inverted spring channel member 2l, the sides of the channel extending a short `distance down each side of the cheek plates or rear of the arm, and provided with a rearwardly projecting ringer 22 adapted to enter the horizontal portion of a bayonet slot and thereby prevent accidental vertical movement of an arm. The locking device is maintained in position by two stub pins 23 secured to each side of the cheek plates or arm and passing through slots 2d in the walls of the ylocking device.

Referring now to FIGURES to S, a bracket arm Si! of similar construction to the bracket arm shown in FIGURE 4 is provided near a rear upright surface Si thereof with transversely extending, vertically spaced pins 32 each of which projects from opposite faces of the arm 39. The p'ins 32 engage in spaced pairs of bayonet slots (not shown) shaped after the manner of the slot which is shown in FIGURE 2 and formed in legs 33 of an upright support member 34. When the arm 30 is engaged on the support member the part of the arm rearwardly of the pins 32 is wedged between the pins and a surface 35 of the support member.

The bracket arm 3d is provided with shelf supporting means in the form of two vertical columns 36 and 37 of studs 3S. The column 36 is disposed towards the front `of the arm and towards the rear of the arm but forwardly of the pins 32 is disposed the column 37. 'he studs 38 in each'column are spaced apart by an amount sufficient to pefnit the passage of a shelf therebetween and each comprises an inner shank portion 39 and an outer enlarged head portion 4t2.

A shelf member #il for mounting on the bracket arm 30 -isV formed along forward and rear edges thereof with anges 42 and 43 and at each end edge with a flange ifi in a lower edge of Which are formed front and rear notches 45 and 46, the notch 45 being of a size such as to provide a snug lit on the shank portions of the studs 3S of the 4fron-t column 36 whilst the notch e6 is of sufcient size in a direction from front to rearthereof as to permit engagement thereof on the studs .3S of the rear column 37 even when the shelf member is at its maximum inclination that is to say when the shelf member is supported on the top stud of one column and the bottom stud of the other column. j It will be apparent that the columns of studs 38 permit the shelf member to be mounted on lthe bracket arm in any one of three horizontal positions, any one of three forwardly and downwardly inclined positions and any one of three forwardly and upwardly inclined positions relative to the upright support member.

It will also be apparent that shelf members such as the member 4i can be mounted on opposite sides of the bracket arm 30 and disposed horizontally at the same or at different levels. Alternatively, the shelf members may be disposed at the same or at different inclinations with respect to the upright support member. The provision of the shelf supporting means on opposite faces of the d bracket arm 3i) means that a single upright support and a single bracket arm can be employed to carry adjoining shelf members.

Instead of forming the bracket arm dit in the manner described, it may be formed for mounting on its support member in the manner described in connection with the arm shown in FGURES l to 3.

Alternatively, the arm E@ may instead of having pins 32 be formed with bayonet slots for engaging transversely disposed spaced pins on its support member.

What I claim is:

`1. A bracket comprising:

(A). a supporting member adapted to be secured to a wall and having a forwardly projecting upright flat plate portion which terminates at its front in an upright edge;

(B) an arm member comprising an elongated shelf holding element adapted to be disposed in a horizontal position, and from which an upright flat plate portion extends rearwardly and terminates at its rear in an upright edge;

(C) a pin projecting from one surface of the flat plate portion of one of said members, spaced inwardly from said edge thereof;

(D) the at plate portion of the other of said members having a substantially L-shaped slot opening to its said upright edge7 of a width to receive said pin, said slot having (l) a horizontal portion that extends inwardly substantially at right angles to said edge and (2) a Substantially vertical portion extending from the inner end of its horizontal portion in slightly diverging relation to said edge, said slot thus being cooperable with the pin `to provide a bayonet connection between the arm member and the supporting member whereby the former can be assembled to the latter by straight rearward movement to engage the pin in the horizontal portion of the slot, followed by downward movement to bring lthe pin into the substantially vertical portion of the slot;

(E) means on said ymembers `defining opposing upright abut'ments having surfaces above and below the pin which are brought. into engagement upon assembly of the arm member to the supporting member, said abutments being so spaced with respect to said upright edges on their respective members as to be `drawn tightly into engage-ment with one another as the pin wedgingly engages in the substantially vertical portion of the slot, to thus cooperate in holding the arm member against rotating about the pin, and

(F) means of one of said members providing a pair of opposing ilat abutments spaced apart by a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the flat plate portion on the other member and between which said flat plate portion is received when the arm member is assembled to the supporting member.

2. The bracket of claim 1, further characterized by the fact that there are are a plurality of identical slots in the slotted fiat plate portion, spaced apart lengthwise of said upright edge thereof, and in any one of which said pin is engageable so that the arm member can be held at any one of a plurality of different heights relative to the supporting member.

3. The bracket of claim il `wherein said abutment deiining means comprises a pair of cheek plates on the arm member projecting rearwardly from its shelf holding element inI spaced apart parallel relationship and by kwhich the pin .is jointly carried.

4. The bracket of claim l wherein said abutment de lining means comprises a pair of cheek plates on the arm member projecting rearwardly from its shelf holding element in spaced apart parallel relationship and in which said slot is formed.

5. The bracket of claim 1, further characterized by: a

finger mounted on' said member that `czarries the pin for sliding motion in directions transverse to said upright edge, toward and from a position of engagement in the horizontal portion of said slot when the arm member is assembled with the supporting member, and which, in its said position, precludes upward displacement of the arm member relative to the supporting member.

857,543 Thomas June 18, 1907 6 Ruddy Sept. 6, 1932 Zimmerman Dec. 5, 1933 Odin Nov. 9, 1948 Kirk Dec. 27, 1949 MeMahan July 7, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS Italy June 14, 1934 Belgium Dec. 30, 1955 

1. A BRACKET COMPRISING: (A) A SUPPORTING MEMBER ADAPTED TO BE SECURED TO A WALL AND HAVING A FORWARDLY PROJECTING UPRIGHT FLAT PLATE PORTION WHICH TERMINATES AT ITS FRONT IN AN UPRIGHT EDGE; (B) AN ARM MEMBER COMPRISING AN ELONGATED SHELF HOLDING ELEMENT ADAPTED TO BE DISPOSED IN A HORIZONTAL POSITION, AND FROM WHICH AN UPRIGHT FLAT PLATE PORTION EXTENDS REARWARDLY AND TERMINATES AT ITS REAR IN AN UPRIGHT EDGE; (C) A PIN PROJECTING FROM ONE SURFACE OF THE FLAT PLATE PORTION OF ONE OF SAID MEMBERS, SPACED INWARDLY FROM SAID EDGE THEREOF; (D) THE FLAT PLATE PORTION OF THE OTHER OF SAID MEMBERS HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY L-SHAPED SLOT OPENING TO ITS SAID UPRIGHT EDGE, OF A WIDTH TO RECEIVE SAID PIN, SAID SLOT HAVING (1) A HORIZONTAL PORTION THAT EXTENDS INWARDLY SUBSTANTIALLY AT RIGHT ANGLES TO SAID EDGE AND (2) A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL PORTION EXTENDING FROM THE INNER END OF ITS HORIZONTAL PORTION IN SLIGHTLY DIVERGING RELATION TO SAID EDGE, SAID SLOT THUS BEING COOPERABLE WITH THE PIN TO PROVIDE A BAYONET CONNECTION BETWEEN THE ARM MEMBER AND THE SUPPORTING MEMBER WHEREBY THE FORMER CAN BE ASSEMBLED TO THE LATTER BY STRAIGHT REARWARD MOVEMENT TO ENGAGE THE PIN IN THE HORIZONTAL PORTION OF THE SLOT, FOLLOWED BY DOWNWARD MOVEMENT TO BRING THE PIN INTO THE SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL PORTION OF THE SLOT; (E) MEANS ON SAID MEMBERS DEFINING OPPOSING UPRIGHT ABUTMENTS HAVING SURFACES ABOVE AND BELOW THE PIN WHICH ARE BROUGHT INTO ENGAGEMENT UPON ASSEMBLY OF THE ARM MEMBER TO THE SUPPORTING MEMBER, SAID ABUTMENTS BEING SO SPACED WITH RESPECT TO SAID UPRIGHT EDGES ON THEIR RESPECTIVE MEMBERS AS TO BE DRAWN TIGHTLY INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH ONE ANOTHER AS THE PIN WEDGINGLY ENGAGES IN THE SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL PORTION OF THE SLOT, TO THUS COOPERATE IN HOLDING THE ARM MEMBER AGAINST ROTATING ABOUT THE PIN, AND (F) MEANS OF ONE OF SAID MEMBERS PROVIDING A PAIR OF OPPOSING FLAT ABUTMENTS SPACED APART BY A DISTANCE SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE THICKNESS OF THE FLAT PLATE PORTION ON THE OTHER MEMBER AND BETWEEN WHICH SAID FLAT PLATE PORTION IS RECEIVED WHEN THE ARM MEMBER IS ASSEMBLED TO THE SUPPORTING MEMBER. 